Thomas B. Catron

Thomas Benton Catron (6 October 1840-15 May 1921) was a member of the US House of Representatives (R-NM) from 4 March 1895 to 3 March 1897 (succeeding Antonio Joseph and preceding Harvey Butler Fergusson) and the US Senator from New Mexico (R) from 27 March 1912 to 3 March 1917, succeeding Andrieus A. Jones.

Biography
Thomas Benton Catron was born in Lexington, Missouri in 1840, and he served as a lieutenant in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. In 1866, Catron moved to New Mexico, settling in Mesilla. He was admitted to the bar in 1867, and he became fluent in Spanish after living in Spanish-speaking communities and speaking only in Spanish. Shortly after his arrival in New Mexico, he was appointed District Attorney for the Third Judicial District, and, unlike most other former Confederates, he was a Republican Party member. In 1872, he became the US Attorney for the District of New Mexico, serving until 1878. In 1884, after moving to Santa Fe, he was elected to the New Mexico Territorial Council, and he served again in 1888 and 1890. From 1895 to 1897, he served as the New Mexico Territory's delegate to the US Congress, and he served as Mayor of Santa Fe from 1906 to 1908. He also lobbied for Republicans to admit the state to the Union, and he was elected to the US Senate in 1912. After leaving the Senate, he returned to his law career, and he died in Santa Fe in 1921 at the age of 80.